Brochure filing system

ABSTRACT

A device as provided for conveniently storing and attractively displaying relatively large numbers of travel brochures or the like, while affording access thereto. In this regard, there is provided a cabinet containing vertically disposed drawers, each of which is divided into two opposed display areas by a central spine. Each display area is provided with brochure supporting shelves, each shelf having transparent visors mounted at the front thereof to retain the brochure on the shelves, while permitting the viewing thereof, and covering the bottom portion of an access area to exclude dirt. The access area above each visor permits a selected brochure to be viewed and quickly withdrawn from the display.

United States Patent I 1 I 1 3,874,756 Greene Apr. 1, 1975 [54] BROCHURE FILING SYSTEM 3556.620 1/1971 Gutierrez 3l2/234 1 i z 4 [76] Inventor S L J Z E EE E SE6 8 5 Pllllltll') brammer-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Olson, Trexler. Wolters. [22] Filed: Apr. 27, 1973 Bushnell & Fosse. Ltd. [21] Appl. No.: 355,078 ABSTRACT j A device as provided for conveniently storing and atl52l CL 312/234 3l-l345 tractively displaying relatively large numbers of travel [5 ll 'f A47b 8l/00- A47b 83/00 brochures or the like, while affording access thereto. [58] F'eld of Search 3l2/234- In this regard, there is provided a cabinet containing 312/320 301-305 vertically disposed drawers. each of which is divided I into two opposed display areas by a central spine. [56] References C'ted Each display area is provided with brochure support- UNlTED STATES PATENTS ing shelves. each shelf having transparent visors 637.36l l [/1899 Sutcrs 3l2/345 X mounted at the front thereof to retain the brochure on 128L923 l0/l9l8 Falcs BIZ/34S X the shelves, while permitting the viewing thereof. and 2.20|,l52 5/1940 Brockctt 312/345 X covering the bottom portion of an access area to cx- 3355744 9/l94l f ill 3 l2/234 clude dirt. The access area above each visor permits a lit right selected brochure to be viewed and quickly withdrawn a i i i t t 3.2lt),865 lU/l9b5 Muntz l. 312/234 x from the 3301.62! H1967 Stephenson 312/234 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures MENTEU APR H975 mm MN BROCHURE FILING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to information storage and retrieval devices. and more particularly concerns a cabinet for storing and displaying trade literature or brochures, and the like.

Modern businesses such as travel agencies are required to maintain on hand large amounts of trade lite rature, catalogues. brochures, and the like. To properly serve customers. this extensive variety of literature must be almost instantly available for dissemination to potential customers, who may be interested in specifications or details of any one ofa very large number of products. services. vacation excursions, or like offering of the business. Business experience has shown that the more readily available the information or brochure. the easier it is to maintain customer interest at a relatively high level. Moreover. ifsuch information is attractively and neatly displayed. the customer forms a generally favorable impression of neatness. orderliness, and business efficiency, thereby creating customer good will.

However. experience has also shown that it is not always possible to display all the catalogues, travel brochures and like information available in a retail business. First. so much information may be available that full display would simply usurp all available wall, counter and like display area space, and indeed, might well interfere with normal business operations. Furthermore, such display could discourage a potential customer, who might feel overwhelmed by the wide variety of information competing for his attention.

Many information display racks have, ofcourse, been made available to the business operator and the general public. While some of these storage devices have efficiently stored the necessary information in a compact manner, they have not been constructed in a manner which permits viewing of, easy access to and retrieval of the stored information. Other such storage devices have not stored the information in a condition which permits its attractive display. Still other storage devices, while attractively displaying the contained information in a readily available manner, have provided only a limited storage capacity.

It is therefore the overall object ofthe present invention to provide an information storage and display device which compactly stores a relatively large amount of trade literature. and which presents the stored literature in an attractive manner and which makes the displayed information almost instantaneously available for retrieval and closer examination.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an information storage and display device in which similar literature can be stored in adjacent compart' ments, and which displays only the desired compartments for examination.

It is a further object to provide a stand which displays the entire front of the stored literature for instant examination by the user.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. Throughout the description, like reference numerals refer to like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I, is a perspective view showing the novel stor age and display device in its general aspect;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing the novel information storage and display device with a novel display drawer extended to exhibit the information stored and displayed therein;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a typical information storage and display drawer; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line 44 in FIG. 3, and showing in further detail the novel information storage and display drawer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary. it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Turning first to FIG. I, there is shown an information storage and display device 10 embodying the present invention. The storage unit 10 includes a cabinet housing II which comprises sides 12 and 13, atop I4, a bottom 15 and a back (not shown). Vertically disposed within the cabinet 11 are a plurality of elongated drawers 17 which, in the illustrated embodiment, are identical in construction. As shown in FIGS. 24, each drawer 17 is divided into two opposed display areas 20 and 21 by a central spine member 22 which may be planar in nature and which extends throughout the drawer.

Each display area 20 and 21 is provided with a plurality of shelves 24. 25 and 26 and a corresponding plurality ofinformation retaining visor members 28-33 inclusive. Each visor 28-33 is mounted at the front of the corresponding shelf 2426 and extends upwardly therefrom to form an information brochure retaining pocket 3641 inclusive. Thus. as may be seen by reference to FIG. 3, a typical information receiving pocket 36 is provided with a facial area 38 of a predetermined extent and height.

In accordance with the invention, each typical visor 28 covers the major extent of the corresponding facial area 38 so as to exclude dirt, and to prevent flexible brochure material from toppling out of the pocket. However, the visor 28 does not fully cover the facial area 38; but rather terminates at an upper edge 43, thereby forming an access area 44 above said upper edge, through which the stored information brochures can be quickly and easily withdrawn, as well as returned and stored.

In the illustrated embodiment, this typical visor 28 covers the major portion of the display facial area 38. Each display facial area 38 is preferably formed of a height greater than the maximum height of the brochures to be stored, thereby permitting the brochure to be stored in an erect and attractive condition.

In further accordance with the invention, each visor 28 is formed of stifftransparent material such as polyvinyl chloride plastic to permit all the exposed information to be viewed therethrough, thus permitting instantaneous selection of the desired brochure.

Use of a storage and display device 10 thus constructed can be easily envisioned. By examining display cards 50 or other indicia mounted upon the drawer edges, the appropriate drawer 17 can be selected. and a corresponding drawer handle 51 grasped and pulled toward the device user. In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention. the drawers 17 move easily toward the user upon commercially available drawer tracks 53 and 54 which typically include telescoping slide members 55 and 56 interconnected by antifriction bearing members 57. Thus. the drawer [7 may be moved in and of the cabinet ll with relatively small effort.

When pulled out of the cabinet ll, the drawer 17 automatically provides an attractive display of the available literature on any given subject. Each set of brochures or trade literature is presented in an erect, and neatly packaged manner for selection. Moreover, the entire facial area ofeach front brochure is displayed for easy study. A display device constructed in accordance with the invention and including six drawers l7 carried in a cabinet measuring inches wide, 32 inches deep and 68 inches high can accommodate over 6.000 brochures.

The invention is claimed as follows:

I. A storage unit for information brochures and the like, comprising: a cabinet, and a plurality of vertically disposed drawers disposed within the cabinet in sideby-side relationship to one another with cooperating slide and track means between each drawer and the cabinet for movement of each drawer into and at least partially out of the cabinet, each drawer being divided into two opposing display areas by a central spine means with each display area comprising a bottom shelf and at least one upper shelf and with each of the shelves having marginal edges spaced a predetermined distance outwardly to each side of the spline means, and a pair of vertically disposed information retaining visors of transparent and relatively stiff material associated with each shelf and with a visor of each pair mounted along the adjacent marginal edge at the front portion of its associated shelf and extending upwardly therefrom to form an information retaining pocket having a facial area of predetermined extent, each visor covering a major front portion of its associated facial area but less than the entire facial area and with the upper edge of each visor below a next adjacent upper shelf positioned beneath the adjacent marginal edge of the adjacent upper shelf tending to reduce ingress of dirt and preventing pocketed material from toppling out and forming a laterally open access area between the upper edge of each visor and the adjacent marginal edge of an upper shelf through which pocketed material can be withdrawn while permitting viewing of information on the pocketed material through the visor below the upper edge thereof. 

1. A storage unit for information brochures and the like, comprising: a cabinet, and a plurality of vertically disposed drawers disposed within the cabinet in side-by-side relationship to one another with cooperating slide and track means between each drawer and the cabinet for movement of each drawer into and at least partially out of the cabinet, each drawer being divided into two opposing display areas by a central spine means with each display area comprising a bottom shelf and at least one upper shelf and with each of the shelves having marginal edges spaced a predetermined distance outwardly to each side of the spline means, and a pair of vertically disposed information retaining visors of transparent and relatively stiff material associated with each shelf and with a visor of each pair mounted along the adjacent marginal edge at the front portion of its associated shelf and extending upwardly therefrom to form an information retaining pocket having a facial area of predetermined extent, each visor covering a major front portion of its associated facial area but less than the entire facial area and with the upper edge of each visor below a next adjacent upper shelf positioned beneath the adjacent marginal edge of the adjacent upper shelf tending to reduce ingress of dirt and preventing pocketed material from toppling out and forming a laterally open access area between the upper edge of each visor and the adjacent marginal edge of an upper shelf through which pocketed material can be withdrawn while permitting viewing of information on the pocketed material through the visor below the upper edge thereof. 